Falcons' Roddy White more concerned about 2-0 than not catching a pass13h

Roddy White didn't have a catch last Sunday, marking the first time since 2006 he was held without a reception. John Bazemore/APVaughn McClure, ESPN Staff Writer347SharesEmailPrintCommentRoddy White doesn’t need to be reminded how he didn’t catch a pass against the New York Giants.

The Atlanta Falcons receiver is well aware it was the first time he went without a catch in a game since Week 13 of 2006 against the Washington Redskins – his second NFL season.

But was White surprised about being targeted just one time against the Giants?

``Nope,’’ he said.

Did the Giants do anything special to take him out of the game?

``Nothing,’’ White said. ``I was open. Just didn’t get the ball. We’re 2-0. … Nothing really to say. I just didn’t catch a pass. I have moved past it.’’

The 33-year-old White cares more about winning than he does about personal accomplishments as he reaches the back end of his illustrious career. He entered the season trying to fight off a nagging left knee injury and then had arthroscopic surgery to clean out loose particles in his right elbow. White recovered in time to have an impact performance in the team’s 26-24 season-opening victory over the Philadelphia Eagles, as he caught four catches for 84 yards on eight targets.

Then against the Giants, his streak of 128 consecutive games with a catch came to an end, a streak that included 720 total catches. Folks wondered if it was a sign of the Falcons moving in another direction, with the emergence of Leonard Hankerson as another target behind top receiver Julio Jones. Hankerson was targeted 11 times against the Giants and finished with six catches for 77 yards and a touchdown. But White still played 57 of 72 offensive snaps, just two less than Jones. Hankerson played 48 snaps.

The Falcons aren’t going to just make White an afterthought. It wouldn’t be a surprise, however, to see him spelled on occasion during the first half of the season to help preserve his body for the stretch run.

Quarterback Matt Ryan offered his thoughts on White’s catch-less outing during a Monday radio interview on 92.9 The Game.

``You hate seeing something like that not continue primary because I love Roddy,’’ Ryan said. ``It stinks. But the game kind of shakes out. Coverage kind of dictates where it goes.